Beach Residents To Challenge Annexation Rule

August 23, 1985|By Pat LaMee of The Sentinel Staff

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Residents of the unincorporated south beach area have decided to challenge the city's demand that non-residents seeking city water and sewer service sign annexation petitions when asking for those utilities.

They will recommend that Volusia County officials ban beach driving from Hiles Boulevard south and make the Hiles beach approach either an exit or entrance to the oceanfront.

During a Wednesday meeting of the Bethune Beach Property Owners Association, the group also suggested two sites for a proposed fire station to serve the unincorporated area south of New Smyrna Beach.

Association members voted to spend $1,000 to have DeLand attorney Bill Preston, a resident of the Bethune Beach subdivision, challenge the city's annexation requirement, which was approved by city commissioners on Aug. 13.

''We would be signing under duress,'' said association past president Bob Granstrom. ''We just don't think this is legal and we will file a test case.'' The city's ordinance affects not only Bethune Beach and Silver Sands subdivisions south of the city but also the areas west of the city where water and sewer is available.

City commissioners will record the annexation requests with the county and will consider those petitions when the land is contiguous to city limits.

Association members said there is no need for beach driving south of the Hiles approach because there is no exit further south. And they support one- way traffic on the beach with provisions for people to either get on or off the oceanfront at Hiles.

Two sites for a potential fire station were recommended by the group. One lot is near Ocean View Towers condominium, South Atlantic Avenue, and would cost $45,000. The other suggestion is to build the station on land in the Bethune Beach public park that the county owns.

For several years fire protection to the south beach has been provided by New Smyrna Beach. However, residents in the area complained of slow response time from the city's Columbus Avenue fire station and inadequate equipment, said W.K. Roberts. He serves as chairman of the Municipal Service District Advisory Board.

When the city increased the annual fire protection fee from $110,000 to $142,000, the county began working on plans for a volunteer fire department, he said.

About 10 applications have been received from south beach residents who have offered to become volunteer firefighters. Training sessions are expected to begin in the next couple of weeks, said Bart Beedle, Turnbull Volunteer Fire Department chief.

A refurbished fire truck and other equipment will be housed at the Silver Sands Civic Center on Palm Drive until the station is built. Fire service will be available through the municipal service district program beginning Oct. 1, county officials said.